


The Case of the Lucky Mistletoe

by BlueZaca



Series: The Detective and The Lawyer (My fics of Perry and Paul as an Item) [1]
Category: Perry Mason (TV), Perry Mason - All Media Types
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 10:30:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16173272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueZaca/pseuds/BlueZaca
Summary: Christmas is in the air and so is Mistletoe





	The Case of the Lucky Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tintenfisch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tintenfisch/gifts), [RadarsTeddyBear](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RadarsTeddyBear/gifts).



Paul Drake was not one to be nervous. Paul Drake was not one to be afraid. But tonight, if he was going to be completely honest with himself, he was just the slightest hint of both. He had never been one to be nervous, being a private detective meant you couldn’t afford to be nervous.

 

* * *

 

A few weeks ago it had been the Thanksgiving party. They had all had a bit too much to drink, and when Della decided to go home Paul offered to drive her. And then after she told him that he wasn’t in no condition to be driving either, he offered to escort her home in the taxi. She agreed, she thought that she’d be safe regardless but she never turned down Paul’s company.

When they got to her home he paid the driver and then asked Della if she minded if he came inside and asked her something, and when she said she didn’t he told the driver to go ahead and go. When he needed another taxi he would call.

 

“Hey, Beautiful are you sure I’m not intruding? I can ask some other time, it’s really not that pressing.” He said as he shut the door behind him, Della had turned on the lights and was now walking towards her couch and sat down.

“Not at all, Paul. What’s on your mind?”

He sat down in a chair opposite of her, crossing his ankles and then running his hand through his hair before letting out a breath. Paul Drake was not one that was usually nervous. Usually.

“Paul?” Della asked with a worried tone.

“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?” His words were low, tight, and he wished he had another drink right about now.

She shook her head, before realizing he was looking at the floor and not at her, and then said softly, “No.”

“Are you and Perry,” He stumbled to find his words. The right way to phrase it. The way to ask and not insult her. The last thing he wanted to do was to insult Della Street in anyway. “Have you two ever,” he shook his head and tried to rephrase it. “Are you two more than friends?” He sighed and glanced up at Della who had the slightest tug of a grin on her face. Well _that_ reaction was unexpected.

“Both of you are two of my nearest and dearest friends. But,” she put her hand on his knee and squeezed slightly, “to answer your question, me and Perry are just that. Good friends, great friends, _best friends._ But lovers? No.” She cocked her head to one side as if to ask _But what about you?_

“I didn’t mean to pry, it’s just that,” he was interrupted by Della standing up.

“Paul?”

“Hm?”

“Would you like to see a picture of my highschool sweetheart? Maybe it’ll better explain why Perry and I are nothing more than friends.”

He nodded, and she went to get her purse. She pulled out a small wallet with pictures in it, sat down next to him and then flipped to a picture of herself and a young woman.

Della watched as Paul’s face went from shock, to surprise, to a smile. “Wow. She’s Beautiful.” He turned his head towards her and grinned. “Highschool sweetheart?” he asked.

“I wanted to run away together. Move in with each other. Who was to say we weren't two friends who came together to be able to pay the rent? But she was afraid we’d be found out. And besides, her parents wanted her to settle down. Marry a good husband, have a couple of kids.” She shook her head and then smiled sadly. “And she did. We still talk occasionally, send Christmas cards, you know. She has two beautiful kids and she seems happy with her husband. I guess that’s life.” She then turned to Paul, her head cocked to one side again as the unspoken question hung in the air.

“Does anybody else know?”

“Perry. I told him one night. It was the anniversary of the day we had said our goodbyes, me and her, and I needed to talk to someone. I felt like I’d scream if I didn’t.” She shook her head and sighed. “He understood. And he understood why she was afraid also.”

He sat there, not saying anything for a few minutes. She let him collect his thoughts, and sat there looking at the picture of her and her old sweetheart. And then Paul broke the silence.

“I love him, Della.” He said softly.

She reached over and placed her hand on his knee, and squeezed it slightly. Then said, “You should be telling this to him instead of me.”

He looked over at her, a slight look of surprise on his face then asked, “You’re not surprised?”

She grinned slightly then said, “I see the way you look at him, especially when you don’t think he’s looking. You can look like a lovesick puppy at times, you know.” She laughed.

“I didn’t think I was _that_ obvious.” Paul contested and then laughed. “But maybe I was. Because, when I didn’t think he was paying attention I didn’t think anyone else was either.”

They both laughed, and then Paul asked, “But how do I tell him? What if he doesn’t feel the way about me? What if,” his voice trailed off and then he spoke again with a low voice, “What if he isn’t even attracted to,” he let his voice trail off again.

Della had a thoughtful look on her face, and then after a few moments she said, “You should tell him. I can’t tell you why exactly, but you should.”

“Hopefully after we’re both a few sheets to the wind.”

Della let out a laugh and then offered, “Well the annual Christmas party is coming up!”

Paul Drake was not one to be afraid. Usually. “What if he’s completely opposed to the idea? That’d make things extremely awkward. For both of us. For a very, very, long time.”

Della tipped her head to one side, and then said thoughtfully. “I’ve known Perry for a very long time, and if there’s anything I know for certain? He thinks of you as one of his nearest and dearest friends and there’s nothing that will change that.” Then she added with a grin, “Just tell him after both of you have had a few drinks so if it doesn’t go as planned maybe neither one of you will remember it.”

He laughed and then put his arm around her and gave her a half hug, and kissed the top of her head. “Della, you’re the greatest,” he said as he stood up.

She grinned and then said, “So tonight we both revealed secrets about ourselves we now take to the grave?”

He placed his right hand over his chest and held his left hand up, “Scouts honor!”

She stood up and placed her arms around him, hugging him tightly. It wasn’t something they did normally, but Della felt the need to and after Paul realized what was happening he hugged her back even tighter.

When they broke the hug Della simply said, “Happy Thanksgiving, Paul.”

“Happy Thanksgiving, Beautiful.”

He then called a cab, and while he waited he said, “I don’t know how I expected this to turn out but it went much different and much better than I expected.”

 

* * *

 

Almost everybody from the Christmas party had left. The only ones left were Paul, Perry, and Della. First ones to get there, and... did they ever truly leave? It felt like they spent more time in Perry’s law office then they did at home.

Della had slipped a piece of mistletoe into Paul’s pocket. And gave him a knowing wink. He couldn’t quite believe Della was matchmaking. Or rather nudging him and going _Paul Drake if you don’t tell him i will personally hang this mistletoe above both of you._ Or maybe that’s just what it _seemed_ like she was trying to say.

Della yawned, and then said “It’s late, and I have some family coming for Christmas tomorrow so I’m going to go ahead and go home. It’s nearly 2 and I should really be getting some sleep”

“Do you want me to drive you?” Perry asked.

“No, I’m fine. I haven’t been really drinking tonight.” That was something she made sure of.

“Are you sure?” Perry asked concerned.

“Positive. Merry Christmas you two!” She leaned in and kissed Perry on the cheek and did the same for Paul.

“Merry Christmas, Della!”

“Merry Christmas, Beautiful!”

And then she turned to start to walk out when Paul caught up with her and said, “Let me walk you to your car.”

“I should probably go with both of you. I should be getting home myself.” Perry added.

Paul stammered slightly then said, “There was something I wanted to ask you Perry. It won’t take long but I was hoping to ask you as soon as I got back up here actually.”

“Hm? Oh well then I can wait then,” Perry got himself another glass of eggnog and then sat down in his leather office chair.

 

On the way down in the elevator Paul looked over at Della and said, “Thanks, Beautiful.”

“For what?”

“Understanding. For trying to make a smooth getaway to leave me and Perry alone in the office. For slipping this mistletoe into my pocket.” He let out a chuckle.

“The decorators always put up mistletoe and Perry always takes it down. He says it isn’t ‘professional’ for an office party. And he isn’t wrong. But I did think that tonight it would have a purpose.” She grinned.

 

When they got to her car he opened the door for her, and then closed it when she got in. They said _Merry Christmas_ once more and then she drove off. And Paul made his way back up to Perry’s office. His heart beating faster than it should have, and he hoped that it would calm soon.

Paul Drake was not one to be nervous. Usually.

 

He opened the door to the office and found Perry still in his chair sipping eggnog. His eyes met Paul’s and he sat up. He walked closer and sat on the edge of his desk.

“Anything wrong Paul?” Perry had a look of concern on his face.

“Hmm? No, no, nothing’s wrong. Not exactly.” His hand was in his pocket, fingering the mistletoe that Della had slipped in it. “I just wanted to ask you a question is all.”

“What might that be?” Perry asked. And all Paul could think was _Damn his blue eyes, damn that voice, damn the fact that I just want to kiss him right now._

“Remember how you asked a few weeks ago what I thought would be a good present for Della? And then if there was anything in particular that you could get _for me_ for Christmas?”

“Yes?” The question almost a statement.

He sat there for a moment fiddling in his pocket with the mistletoe, debating when to ask him, debating if he should hurry up and come up with a cover story and then dart out of the room as fast as possible. He just hoped Perry had had enough eggnog that maybe if things went wrong maybe he wouldn’t remember it.

Paul had moved closer, and now he sat directly in front of Perry. He fiddled again in his pocket and then said, “If it’s not to late I  thought of something.

“Well, I think all the stores are closed for the next few days but if you don’t mind it being just a little bit late well then,” Perry grinned and Paul felt his heart flutter. _Damn his smile. Damn his blue eyes. Damn him._

Paul Drake was not one to be nervous. Usually.

 

He pulled his hand out of his pocket, his hand closed tightly around the mistletoe. Perry eyed his hand curiously, wondering what he was holding. But before he had a chance to ask Paul held it above their heads and when Perry looked up he realized it was mistletoe.

Perry raised an eyebrow and then a smile played on his lips.

Paul felt his heart beating more rapidly, and wished that for once it would slow to a normal pace.

The moments seemed to last an eternity, at least they did to Paul.

And then Perry stood up, and Paul wondered if Perry was going to run, he wondered if he was going to regret this moment for the rest of his life. And then Perry did something that Paul had _hoped_ , had  _dreamed_ of him doing, but didn’t dare think it would happen. Perry put his hands on either side of Paul on the desk and leaned in towards him. And then said in a low gravely whisper, “Merry Christmas, Paul.” And he leaned in and kissed him. Paul’s hand that was holding the mistletoe now went to Perry’s back and pulled him in closer. The kiss deepened and Paul let out a soft moan, and felt Perry’s smile. _Damn him. Doesn’t he know how long I’ve waited for this?_ His other hand tangled in Perry’s hair.

Perry broke the kiss, as much as Paul wanted to object he also wanted to catch his breath, and he rested his forehead against Paul’s.

“Perry?”

“Hm?”

“This Christmas turned out much better than expected.”

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a very long time.”

“I wish you would have.”

And then Perry smiled, whispered, “Duly noted and I’ll make a point of it from here forward.” And kissed him again.

**Author's Note:**

> Just some Paul Drake and Perry Mason first kiss and fluff! I also like the idea of Della having a girlfriend (in the past or present) so I included a bit of that headcanon also. This is my first Perry Mason fic, hope you enjoy =)


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